Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1887-08-05
THE QUEENS ROMANCE.
VICTORIA OF ENGLAND PREPARING
FOR THE PRINCE OONS0RT.

and the Widows Heartbroken Anguish.
There is something of the euchant-
ment of fairy love about the story of
he courtship and betrothal of Queen
Victoria. King Leopold of Belgium,
he favorte uncle of the young queen,
who had always exercised loving SUI
Ipervison of her early training, brought
lbout sit of Prince Albert of Sake
Coburg-Gotha and his brother to Eng
and in order that Victoria, who was
then but 20 years old. might be brought
N contact with them. 1t was not hint
ID that she was expected to look upon
one of the princes as possible hus
land. Her good uncle intended that
II case affection developed love should
take its course. His plans resulted
most happily and a sympathy of dIspo-
sitions and of tastes soon led TO a
stronger bond between Victoria and
he gentle, cultured Albert Their first
meeting was at ball. The youthful
queen and The prince we're both there,
md the queen gave the prince a bou-
luet. What to do with the gift was
Ipuzzle to the possessor but it was only
for moment he stood in doubt. TAX
ng out his kn fe he cut n slit in the
tunc he wore, and right there
over his heart-placed securely the
blossoms the royal lady had gwen him.
| He had just few days before come
from his own home over the sea, and
he queen asked him how he ked
England. "Oh, very much" Next day
The question was asked again, and
)nce or twice oftener 1t was put, until
1t length the queen, with a sweet tre-
nor in her voice and the mantling blush
of the rose in her face, ventured to say,
"Would you Ike to stay n Englandg'
1t was in tn fashion that the ordinary
conditions of the momentous event
were reversed and the man said "Y Yes"
TO the woman's question.
The queen wrote to King Leopold:
II told Albert this mornngof it. The
warm affection he showed me on learn
jng this gave mo great pleasure. He
seems perfection; and ! think that
have the prospect of very great happi-
ness before me. | love him more than
/ can say, and shall do everything in
my power to render this sacrifice 1or
such, in my opinion, il is) as small AS
| can. He seems TO have great tact-a
very necessary thing in his post on.
These few days have passed like a
dream to me, and | am so bewildered
by it all that l know hardly how to
write; but | do feel very happy"
Prince Albert wrote as follows to his
grandmother, the Dowager duchess of
Gotha, who had filled mothers place
to Inn:
The queen sent for me alone
to her room few days ago aud
declared to me, in a genuine outburst
Of love and affection, that | mad
gained her whole heart and would
make her supremely happy if |
would make her the sacrifice of
sharing her life with her; for she said
she looked on 1t as n sacrifice. The
only thing that troubled her was that
She did not think she was worthy of
me. The joyous openness of the man
ner in which she told me this quite en-
ehanted me, and | was quite carried
away by it. She is really most good
and amiable ana ! am quite sure that
we shall be happy together"
Then the queen called her council and
announced her marriage. In her diary
she wrote;
The room was full, but / hardly
knew who who was there. Lord Mel
bourne / saw looking kindly at me with
Tears in his eyes. but he was not near
me. | then read my short declaration.
felt that my hands shook, but did
not make one mistake. | felt most
happy and thankful when it was over
One of the ladies', excusably curious
Oh the matter, asked the queen after
ward if it not make her nervous TO
have to make such an announcement
10 the council. We are told that the
reply was: 80, no; that | considered
simply as a matter of business; but !
Il feel some embarrassment in making
known to the prince my feelings in his
regards"
Next came the era OF love letters
while the prince was making his pre-
paratiou in Coburg to become an En-
ylishman. He could but use the words
If every true lover in high or low
estate: IAN that have to say is that
W u ilC 1 )oSScSS ) Dul ioNo '"oy S"hhoo
make me unhappy And so the weeks
passed and when February came the
prince landed at Dover, to be welded
now to England as we'll as to England's
queen, and was received joyously by
the people. When he drove up to
Buckingham palace it was to find his
bride standing at the outer door eager
to welcome him." He was naturallzed
on the following day and created field
of England.
There was great brilliancv and dis
play at the marriage ceremony, but 1t
was not without its simple touches.
The queen herself acted with excellent |
taste. She was W ser than some OF her |
The archbishop OF Canter-
bury came to her with some perturba-
ton and the suggestion that as she was
queen the passage in the tual bringing |
in the VOW OF obed ance should be al
tered in her case. II do not mean to
be the less wife though | am queen"
said the bride firmly and sonsibly, and
on no account would she allow any
with the responses at the
altar. Nor would she have the custom
ary hour of service altered. Former
royal marriages had taken place at !